It has been reported that Balotelli was fined by City last season after a series of indiscretions.

The 22-year-old accrued bans totalling eight matches during the last campaign and - when added to a European sanction carried over from the previous season - missed 11 games through suspension during 2011-12.

He was sent off for two bookable offences at Liverpool, incurred a retrospective ban after appearing to stamp on the head of Tottenham's Scott Parker and received another red card at Arsenal.

The dismissal at the Emirates Stadium in April came in what appeared to be a costly defeat which left City eight points adrift in the Premier League title race.

Manager Roberto Mancini, who has been determined to coax the best from his former Inter Milan protege, appeared to lose patience and said he would "probably" sell the player.

Mancini added that Balotelli would not feature in City's final six games, but he later relented and the striker played a key role off the bench in the last-day title success.

Balotelli impressed for Italy at Euro 2012 but his performances this season have again come under scrutiny and his future has been the subject of recurring speculation.

Last month he was dropped for a clash against Spurs for what Mancini described as a poor attitude in training.

After a spell out injured he scored at Wigan on November 27 - his only goal of the current Premier League season so far - and was a surprising starter in the derby defeat against Manchester United eight days ago.

But he was withdrawn early in the second half after an ineffectual performance and was not included in the squad for Saturday's win at Newcastle.

Mancini said: "He is not in good form at this moment and it was better for him that he continued to train and to train well. When he is in form, he will play.